Improvement in postage-stamps



S. R. DUMMER.

POSTAGE-STAMP. N9.177,8Z1. I Patented my 23,1876.

UNITED S ATES PATENT met.

.' SAMUEL- R. DUMMER, or JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.-

' IMPROVEM ENT IN POSTAGE-STAMPS.-

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,821, dated May 23, 1876 application filed April 20, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S. R. DUMMER, of Jersey City, Stateot' New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Postage and other Stamps on letters and on other articles; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like figures indicate like parts. a

Figure I is aface View of my stamp as arranged for cancellation. Fig-II is a back view of the same Fig. III, an edge view; Fig. IV, a face view, showing only the perforations or openings; Fig. V, a face view canceled, and exposing the reenforce lettered, 850.

My invention consists in a stamp so prepared that when a projecting piece of paper, which is attached to it, is pulled or detached a portion of the stamp will be entirely removed, and the surface beneath the stamp proper will then be exposed through the open ing thus made. 1

I take stamps for postage, or for revenue,

or for any other purpose for which such things may be used, and I punch or perforate through their surface two openings, as

seen at c and d, Fig. IV, which, it will be observed,-are so arranged as that when the paper immediately between the openings is removed the spacethus left will roughly resemble a'shield, or it may be so arranged that the piece to be torn out shall, when removed, leave an opening resembling any other desired figure. Through one of-these openings 0 is inserted a strip of paper or other suitable material, one part of which shall be at the back of the stamp, and the other part in front of the stamp, as seen at a and b, Figs. I, II, and III. The portion of this piece of paper b which is behind or at the back of the stamp is glued to it, .but it is of such size and shape that it is only connected to the portion of the stamp which is to be removed. The portion of the strip which is on the front of the stamp, as at a, is not glued to it, but projects from it at any angle which-circumstances may cause it to assume, and this pose. It must be distinctly understood that,

though this piece of paper R covers entirely the portion of the "strip b which is glued to the inside or back part of the stamp, it is not glued to this strip, but is only attached to the stamp itself, so that, when the strip a b is torn out, carrying with it a piece of the stamp, the re-enforcing-paper R shall-be seen through the opening thus made, and not a portion of the envelope, it used on a letter.

I may, if desired, stamp or print letters or rule lines on this piece of paper Bin such a manner that, after the removal of a portion of the stamp, these letters, lines, or tints will be seen, making the fact of the cancellation of v the stamp plainly evident.

The back of the re-enforcin g piece R, which comes in contact with the envelope, may or may not be covered with the adhesive preparation used for the back of the stamp.

Revenue, postage, check, and all other forms of 'stamps can be thus' prepared, and the effect of tearing out the slip a b will always be such as to effectually destroy the stamp and prevent the possibility of any further use. I

The re-enforcing-piece It may, if desired, be omitted, and in that case the exposed portion of the back of the strip b must not be gummed, for it it' were gummed the envelope on which the stamp is attached would be injured when the stamp was canceled.

' What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A postage or other stamp, provided with astrip of paper or other suitable material glued to the rear of the stamp and protruding through a slit or opening in the face of behind the stamp and canceling-strip, and the stamp, substantially as hereinbefore set provided with figures, lines, or tints different forth. from the stamp, which become. visible upon 2. In a stamp provided with a cancelingthe cancellation of the stamp, as hereinbefore strip, the re-enforcing pieceof paper in rear set forth.

of the stamp and canceling-strip, and visible SAML. R. DUMMER. only upon the cancellation of the stamp, asi Witnesses: hereinbefore set forth. HENRY L. BREVOORT,

3. The re-enforcing piece of paper arranged PHILLIPS ABBOTT. 

